


The Cursed Musical Box

by MarimenCarmen2



Category: Creepypasta - Fandom, El Tigre: The Adventures of Manny Rivera
Genre: Alternate Universe - Ghosts, Antique, Based on a Creepypasta, Macabre, Mexican Horror, Spirits, World War I, cursed musical box
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-16
Updated: 2018-09-11
Packaged: 2019-06-28 09:53:35
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,256
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15704859
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MarimenCarmen2/pseuds/MarimenCarmen2
Summary: Frida has seen spirits since she was a little girl. She loves antique shops and goes into her favorite one. She finds that the old music box belong to a man who was murdered.





	1. Chapter 1

Frida grew up seeing spirits. She used to see them as shadows running through the halls of her childhood home. Blurs of color against the solid colored walls. Glimpses of people and animals coloring her vision. Often they would come to her in dreams and tell her their stories. When her grandmother had passed, she had come to her in a dream to tell her good-bye. Her parents had woken her up to tell her the bad news, but she already had known. This didn’t surprise her parents because they were very aware of her gift. Her mother had it too and it ran through her side of the family.Carmela would often tell her the story of her grandmother going to a tarot card reader for a look into her future.

Frida loved old relics and objects from the past. Sometimes the past seemed so much simpler to her than the present and she loved to hear the history behind each trinket. That was how she often found herself inside of antique shops. Much like the one she was currently in. She walked past the little booths that were set up by different sellers.

La Pequeña Baratija was her favorite antique shop to go to. She had been going there for several years. It was massive and open. The outside was older and it had two stories with winding stairs inside. When you walked through the door, you were met with bigger items, like dining room sets and antique bicycles, and in the middle sat a row of tall glass cases that held the more expensive items. Surrounding those tall shelving units were boxed in areas that created booths for different sellers. Walls lead to doorways and it snaked around until you reached the front again, where a clerk stood near a register.

She had one booth that she adored to visit, on the top floor, and she would always walk into the little area to take in the new items that that seller had. She picked up random items and put them back down. Frida fawned over an old hand mirror made of pewter and took in it’s ornate design. She fell in love with it and it gave off a lovely aura of a young woman that appeared to be from the 1800’s. She saw the woman fixing her hair and make-up within the mirror and it made her smile. She decided to carry it with her to take to the clerk once she was done.

Frida continued to walk along the booths until she stepped into one that felt familiar. Her blue eyes immediately caught sight of the brown musical box.

She gulped and finally decided to touch the music box. The song played. Her mind began to fill with memories that weren’t her own. Memories of a black haired tan skinned man standing in a field of grass beneath a tree in autumn. He slowly turned at the waist and gave her a cute smile. His hair moved in the breeze along with his long black coat. The man’s brown eyes caught hers in the sunlight as he reached his hand out to her.

She shook her head and was brought back to reality. Something about this music box needed her and she needed it. The music box wasn’t cheap and she only had enough money for one item today. So, Frida took the music box and walked back to set the mirror back down into the other booth. The music box easily replacing the mirror in its importance. She sighed and found that her thoughts had begun to wander. Who was this man? Why was his music box there? Why was he so important to her? She wanted to know more about this music box and she wanted to hear the story behind it.

The mysterious male spirit followed her around the vintage shop as she continued to wander around. She felt him close on her heels and watched him peer at the objects that she would pick up and take in. He would watch her eyes light up with each passing thought and he admired it. She jumped and gasped when she rounded a corner and he was suddenly standing in her way. “Goodness. Stop scaring me.” She whispered and glared at him for a moment. He sheepishly smiled and put his hands behind his back, rocking on his heels. She watched him scratch the back of his neck and chuckle in apology. He didn’t want to scare her off, but he was curious about her. She could see him when no one else could.

She slid past him and he continued to follow her like a lost kitten. She sighed and tried to ignore him, even though he was suffocating her. She abruptly stopped and turned around on her heel, shaking her index finger in his direction. “You need to backup a little, you know that? Too close.” She whispered and hoped that no one around her had heard her talk to thin air.

She watched the man nod in response and turned back around to continue her search. She had been hoping to find some new vintage clothing. She loved it to look at it and feel the textures of the different materials that were used so long ago.

He walked around her with grace and phased away, before popping back up again on the other side of the white lace dress that she was currently looking at. Her fingers doing as much as her eyes were, taking it in like a fine wine. The lace was delicate along her fingertips and she touched the collar to peer at the label. Something about her gentle touch intrigued him and her warm smile caught his heart on fire. This woman was special and all he wanted to do was go home with her. He felt safe in her hands. She was different than the others that had tried to take him home before. She cleared her throat and headed up to the front, leaving the dress behind. She would buy it another time if it was still available.

Frida walked up to the clerk that was busy putting stickers on to merchandise for the booths. She worried her bottom lip and fiddled with the music box between her fingers. Her heart beat faster, the more she held the trinket. She just wanted to know the story behind it. Although,Frida knew that the clerks didn’t always know the stories behind the items in the shop. It was a combination of booths rented out to sellers. They just had to keep logs of what sold from where, so that the sellers could keep track of their sales.

“Excuse me.” Frida’s voice came out small and she felt the music box grow hot, as if, it was reassuring her to gather courage.

“Sorry, I was distracted. Hello. How are you?” The clerk smiled at her and set the sticker gun down.

“I’m good. You?” Frida smiled and gently set the music box down, not wanting to part with it long.

“I’m good, dear. What did you find today?” She smiled at her and then her gaze went down to the item on the table. Frida watched her smile fade and she suddenly became worried.

“Do you, by chance, know the story behind this music box?” Frida quietly spoke and the clerk cleared her throat.

“I’m afraid I don’t. Usually, the items come in here from the sellers and only the sellers know the stories behind them. Sometimes, they don’t. However…” The clerk didn’t know if she should tell her or not. She knew that the music box had been there for so long, about six years to be exact, but she didn’t want to scare her off. She tapped her long red nails on the wooden counter and seemed to get was lost in her thoughts.

“What is it? I know it’s been here a while. I kept walking by it and I’ve been wanting to buy it, but I never did.” Frida peered from the music box to the woman. She was confused as to why this woman would change her mood so suddenly. She was radiating anxiety and Frida didn’t understand why.

“Well… it’s been here much longer than a few years. Customers have come in here and carried it around, thinking they’re going to buy it, but…” The woman bit her nail and contemplated not telling her anymore about it.

“But what?” Frida was curious now and she felt him around her. Felt him against her back, peering over her shoulder at the woman at the counter. He hoped the woman wouldn’t scare this person from buying his music box. He liked her and wanted to go home with her, after all.

“Well. Everyone had put it back before they even brought it up. Either they would trip and fall, or their fingers would burn, or they would feel sick, scared. They would speak of seeing something out of the corner of their eye. Cursed by a mean spirit were the exact words they used. But you have made it the furthest with it.” The woman regrettably fessed up to her.

The male spirit rolled his eyes and huffed at how silly she made him sound. He wasn’t mean… He was just picky. Frida caught a glimpse of him crossing his arms and his face held an annoyed expression. She held back a giggle and smiled at the clerk.

“Well, I’d love to take my chances, please.” She opened her purse to grab her wallet and held out her euros for the clerk to take them.

“Suit yourself.” She typed the sale into the register and hand wrote a receipt on old transfer paper. She passed her the yellow copy of the receipt and pushed Frida’s outstretched hand away. “It’s free. I don’t want it here anymore. Do you want a bag for it?”

“No, I’ll wear it out. Thank you very much.” Frida smiled warmly at her and took the music box with her. She walked out of the shop and took her dainty red chain from around her neck. She slid the ballerina onto it and clasped it back around her neck for safe keeping. She clutched it into her hands, brought them to her chest, and closed her eyes with a smile.

The man with black hair put his hands in the pockets of his black coat and followed her, as she walked towards her apartment. When she had finally dropped her hands to her hips, he had tried to hold her hand, but she had pulled it away from him. He pouted and tried again, but once again, she pulled away from him.

“Would you stop?” She scolded him like a child and he rolled his eyes. “I need space. I just saved you from that shop! The lease you could do is be polite and give me some breathing room. What’s your name anyway?”

The man sighed and ran a hand through his hair, as he walked beside her with a foot of space between them. He didn’t even know if he could talk to people. He had never tried to. But for some reason he found himself wanting her to know who he was. For her to know his story and help him move on. She turned to look at where she knew he was walking.

“Manny… Manny Rivera…” His voice ran through her mind and ears like warm chocolate, causing her heart to pound hard within her chest. The world seemed to stop around her, as she froze up with parted lips. She looked into his eyes, an invisible wall keeping them together yet separate. Once again, wind blew through his black locks and she got lost in his broken brown eyes in the fall light. It contrasted with the stark white pallet of winter around her and she pulled her long pastel red coat around herself more.

“I’m Frida… Frida Suarez.” She watched him reach out and take her hand in his. She raised it to help him and he bowed down with his eyes never leaving hers as he brushed his cold lips along her knuckles. It felt like cold air was being swept along her warm skin and she gasped at the sensation.

“Nice to meet you, Frida.” Manny smiled at her and stood up straight. He brushed his hair from his eyes and his cheeks flushed a beautiful coral color.

Frida felt her cheeks warm up and she knew that a blush had settled in along her cheekbones. She hid her face in her coat and continued to walk through the snow to her apartment.


	2. Mexican Rhapsody No.1

Frida stopped walking and Manny phased through her. She looked at him and crossed her arms. "Would you quit walking so close to me?" She whispered at him and he softly chuckled at her. 

"I find you interesting." He smiled at her and watched her fumble her keys and drop them. Manny began to full blown laugh and he covered his mouth with his hand. Frida rolled her eyes and bent down to pick them up, but Manny beat her to it. "Gotta be quicker than that."

She sighed and held her hand out. He stepped in front of her and slid the key into the lock and stepped away from her, gesturing to the door. "Mujeres Primero." He gave her a welcoming smile and she blushed.

"Well now you're just showing off." She turned the key, keeping her eyes on him and pushed the door open with her shoulder. "So, this is my-" He brushed past her and into the open concept apartment.

"Wow... it's perfect." He smiled and took in the homey feel of the place. The walls were a soft cool grey and the furniture was brown. The couch was a soft reddish pink. 

She cleared her throat and with a bounce in her step, she turned around to face him. "So, where would you like to live?"

Manny looked at her with parted lips. He had never been asked such a question. He had never been offered to choose anything in his lifetime. Everything had been chosen for him. For once he truly felt free. "Live?"

"Like where would you like your ring to be?" Frida smiled at him and waited for him to respond. She wanted to respect him and asking him where he wanted his belongings seemed like a good place to start.

"Oh, right. Um... where would you like for it to go? You did purchase it." Manny smiled and offered to let her decide. He watched her search around the room with a thoughtful expression. He worried his bottom lip and rubbed the back of his neck.

"Well... hm. When you were alive.... " Frida sat down on her couch and took her shoes off. 

Silent

"How old are you?" Frida watched him sit up straight and pretend like he was okay, but she knew better.

"Let's see I died in 1918 and I was... twenty-four?" Manny tried to remember his age. He knew how he died in the most vivid way, but his age was a different story. It was fuzzy, while everything else was so clear.

Frida was busy playing her guitar when she heard the beautiful melody wafting through her apartment. It was enchanting and perfectly played. Shivers ran through her body and she blushed. The familiar tune of Manuel Ponce's Mexican Rhapsody no 1 filled her ears and she got lost in it. It was beautiful and she found her feet following the sounds that were emanating from her bedroom. "You play?" Her voice scared him and he jumped, causing the keys to miss and the song to stop.


	3. Alone Together

The tan-skinned and black-haired teen girl with a black dress.

"Is Gabi Martinez here?" Mariluz asked in her quiet and never brightened up voice.

Ghostly Moaning.

Mariluz rolled her brown eyes, then went to take a seat and read a magazine to keep herself busy until Gabi would come down to the lobby. Finally, after a few moments of silence, the elevator dinged and there came the girl with brown hair, a pink jacket with a white shirt, orange skirt, and red flat shoes.

Gabi turned her head, seeing the ghost. "Mariluz?"

"Gabi..." Mariluz put down the magazine and walked up to her. "I'm glad you're here... Happy Mother's Day..." she forced herself to say.

GabI scoffed. "Yeah... Same to you... We both lost our moms at a young age and it tortures our souls..."

"Yes, it does, but I found this out..." Mariluz said, she reached into her dress and took out an old photograph that looked at least 20 years old, it showed a grim, gloomy girl with long black hair that covered her eyes with a brown-haired gentle girl with brown eyes, wearing light pink in contrast to the dark girl's darker red and black.

"Hey..." Gabi whispered and pointed to the brown-haired girl. "That's my mami."

"I know, Gabi..." Mariluz said, then pointed to the dark black-haired girl in the picture. "Do you know who this is?"

Gabi looked at the picture to study it, but couldn't figure it out right now.

"That's my mother," Mariluz explained.

Gabi's eyes widened then in total surprise. "Our mothers knew each other?"

"Yes, I was just as surprised as you were," Mariluz nodded.

Mariluz and Gabi then walked together. They looked at the various citizens with their mothers for the day. It made them feel very angry and sad at the same time.

"I never realized how lonely this holiday was..." Gabi said as she looked up to the ghost girl.

"I know... At least you knew your mother longer than I knew mine," Mariluz said softly. "Plus, Teeny and Rosa could tell you anything they know about her."

"That's true..." Gabi sighed. "Mariluz... Was your mother drunken"

Mariluz releashed a sharp exhale. "No... She was a innocent and nice woman... My father invite her to his party so she would impress the mean girls... She actually married him even though he was raised in a abusive household... He had raped her..."

Gabi winced at the word.

"My mother wanted to kill herself since she was pregnant with me," Mariluz continued, sounding grave as always, but had hints of sadness in her voice due to it. "She didn't kill herself, but went to the church..."

"I wonder how our moms knew each other." Gabi said once they finally got to Frida's apartment.

"One way to find out." Mariluz said as she opened the door and saw it was nearly empty.

Mariluz and Gabi walked together, making their way to Frida's room.

"Excuse me." Mariluz got her attention once they got there.

"Hi Mariluz Gabi."

"Hello Frida have you seen Manny"

Manny's ghost appear behind Gabi who got nervous.

"No no i didn't mean to scare you"

"That's okay"

"Yes, Manny, and we're ready to know about our mothers and their relationship with each other." Mariluz replied abruptly, a little anxious.

"Right follow me"

"Just tell us what we want to know." Mariluz declined.

"Yes, please, Manny." Gabi gave a nod, feeling the same way.

"Now... Maria Luz Lopez and Miranda Martinez were very interesting young ladies... Maria Luz didn't really have a friend in the world and often sat in the shadows... Until one day at lunch after Miranda had been the new girl in Elementary School for a while..."


End file.
